The Foot Series
by wordonthestreet2006
Summary: Starsky has injured his foot, but does the time it take to recover give him too much time to think about whether he should remain a cop?
1. Chapter 1

"Hutch I'm telling' ya, I don't need new sneakers!" Starsky grinned and looked down at his feet. Okay so his addidas had definitely seen better days, they were a bit worn and the laces were no longer white, more storm cloud grey, but in Starsky's eyes they were perfect. Besides they were comfortable and when you're chasin' down perps you might as well be comfortable.

"Starsky you have to face it buddy" Hutch pointed to the offending shoes "Those shoes have had it!"

Starsky grinned even more. He was determined this was an argument Hutch wouldn't win.

_Zebra three, zebra three be on the lookout for a man named Bill Scout. Last seen in the Vicinity of Fourth and Main. He is described as Caucasian, five seven, medium build, dark hair wearing a light blue, denim jacket. _Their thoughts were interrupted by the radio. "Lets roll!" shouted Starsky, as he rounded the car to get into the drivers seat. Hutch was already applying the Mars Light when Starsky hit the gas pedal. He pulled away with smoking tyres. "Starsky is it really necessary to be so "Gun-Ho" about it? He may not even still be there."

"Hutch you ever think your priorities in life are all wrong? You've spent the best part of this morning worrying about my shoes and yet you're all casual about a potential Felon!" Hutch just smiled at his partner and nodded.

Both Starsky and Hutch were surprised, on their arrival at 4th and Main, to see that a male, fitting that description was still loitering. Starsky pulled the torino up parallel with the sidewalk, right next to the man. "Hold it, hold it!" yelled Hutch as he was almost out of the car. The perp was having none of it, he took off running. Hutch set up chase. Starsky re-gunned the engine and pursued in the car.

They eventually got him pinned inside an alley. Hutch crept in and drew his gun. Starsky crawled behind him, in the torino. The perp, realising that he was cornered began to shout, "What you want with me? I aint done nuffin', you aint got nuffin on me!"

"Aw come on" began Hutch, "If you haven't done nothing then why did you run?"

He looked at Hutch, then the torino behind him, his eyes searching for a way out. "Forget it punk"Said Hutch, sensing what the man was doing, "The only way out is with us"

He put up no resistance, as Hutch put the cuffs on him. Starsky was drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, when Hutch loaded him into the back seat.

"Ah, ah you can't haul me away yet" He protested. Starsky turned to look at him, "Look buddy, I don't know what you done, frankly I don't care, just stop your belly aching, and let's get this over with."

"But officer you don't understand" He began to protest again.

Hutch got in the car "Can it!" he commanded, but the guy was having none of it.

"Oh for cripes sake, what?!" shouted Starsky more than a little irritated, "Tell us what you're bleating about, so we can get this over with!"

"My cat….."

Starsky and Hutch looked at each other, "You cat?" they said in unison.

"Yes my cat, it's stuck up on that roof. I wasn't loitering or trying to be a peeping Tom. I was trying to rescue my cat."

Both detectives looked at him in disbelief." Your cat. You want us to believe that you were shinnying that drain pipe looking for a cat? What do you think Starsk'?" asked Hutch

"I'm not sure I can think. Buddy tell it to someone who wants to know at the station." Starsky said, as he started the engine.

"Wait, wait!" shouted the panicked man, "You can't just leave her!"

"Huh?" queried Starsky

"Stella, my cat. She's still up there. You gotta get her down!"

"What? You gotta be kiddin……"began Starsky, but was interrupted by Hutch, "Well go on then Starsk'. Go and get her"

"Why me?" Wailed Starsky

"Because you got sneakers on, beside I'm allergic to cats."

"Hutch" Starsky pleaded, but Hutch just smiled and nodded towards the drainpipe.

Reluctantly Starsky turned off the engine, opened the door and made his way, sullenly, to the drainpipe. He gave Hutch one more pleading glance before he began to climb. He was more than halfway when he realised it was actually quite easy. About four feet from the roof he could see Stella. She sat, looking at him, on a ledge.

"Here puss, puss, puss. Nice kitty kitty. Come on" Starsky called.

Stella looked indifferent.

"Aw come on now, play nice" Starsky begged "What you say you and me get outta here huh?" he was beginning to realise how high he was and decided to make a grab for her just as Hutch honked the Torino's horn and yelled out of the window "Come on Starsky what's taking so long?"

Startled, Starsky slipped, scrambling to grab hold of something/anything he mis-footed and slid all the way down the drain pipe, landing heavily on his left ankle. "AAAHHHHHH!!" he yelled.

"You - Stay there!" Hutch ordered their prisoner, as he bolted out of the car.

"Starsky!" he ran over to his stricken friend, who was still lying on the floor.

"Starsky, Starsk'" Hutch almost slid into him, "hey" he said attempting to haul him up.

"aaaahahhhhhhhh" Starsky repeated.

"What talk to me, what is it?" Hutch asked, concerned.

"My foot…….I think it's broken"

"Okay, 's'okay. Stay here I'll get an ambulance."

"I aint goin' no-where" smiled Starsky meekly.

Hutch ran back to the torino and radioed for an ambulance, he then ran back to Starsky. "Hey Buddy" he soothed.

"Oh Hutch, it hurts."

"Yeah I know, I know. Come on don't be a baby you'll be okay. It's probably just sprained or something." Hutch smiled.

"Sprained, sprained! God damnmit Hutch I wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't yelled."Starsky protested.

Hutch knew his partner was right and felt terrible.

"Okay look I'm sorry. How 'bout, after this is over, I take you bowlin' or something?"

"Are you being funny?"

"No. Oh look there's the ambulance now." _And not a moment too soon" _Hutch thought, relieved.

Two Paramedics approached the detectives, "Can you tell me what happened?" one asked

"Ah my partner slipped about 20 feet and landed heavy. He's complaining about his foot. Hutch advised.

"Okay sir, any headaches, dizziness, pain anywhere else?"

"Headaches, dizziness, for a sore foot!" Starsky exclaimed.

"Sir I'm……"  
"Look I think my partner is a little grouchy" Hutch interrupted, "Can you just look at his foot and give him a bandage or something?"

The paramedic took a look at Starsky. As soon as he came to his left foot he could see it was trying to swell and it was only Starsky's sneaker that was stopping it. "Oh my. Well sir we have to get that shoe off quick. This may be a little bit painful." but as soon as he attempted to remove Starsky's shoe he screamed. "Sir that shoe has to come off"

The other paramedic removed a pair of scissors, from his kit, and Starsky looked on, in horror, as he cut away his sneaker. He was in far too much pain to resist but not to notice Hutch's smug look as he said, "Looks like you'll be buying new sneakers after all!"


	2. Chapter 2

Foot Patrol

Starsky lay flat on his back, staring at the ceiling with one foot raised. His nostrils flared as he thought of Hutch. "It's your bloody fault I'm in this predicament" he mumbled to himself.

In the other room Hutch was sitting on the couch when he heard the loud banging of Starsky's crutches hitting the bedroom wall. Sighing he got up and made his way to the bed room. "Coming buddy" he called.

Entering he saw Starsky in a cold sweat lying on the bed. "What's up Starsk'? What can I do for you?" he asked concerned.

"I need to take a wizz"

"You what?"

"A pee I need to go to pee." Starsky replied more urgently.

"Sure buddy hold on."

Hutch left the room to fetch the old blue bucket from underneath the kitchen sink. It was a ritual he was getting used to in the past three days that Starsky had been bedridden.

"Here ya go." He said cheerfully as he went back into the bedroom.

Starsky grabbed one crutch and managed to haul himself into a sitting position, but it had drained all his energy and he slumped back down with a sigh.

"Here buddy let me help you" Offered Hutch reaching out a hand.

Starsky shrugged it off. "I can do it!" he growled.

Hutch just raised his eyebrows and waited patiently whilst Starsky finally managed to get himself onto one leg and his pyjamas bottoms down.

"You want me to hold it for you?" Asked Hutch

Starsky raised and eyebrow, "Hold what the bucket or my…"

"The bucket!" interrupted Hutch.

"Yeah sure. I think you'd better" resigned Starsky leaning heavily on one crutch.

After relieving himself Hutch took the bucket away. "You need a tissue?" he asked.

"A wet wipe" corrected Starsky, "I think I dribbled" and managed a small laugh.

"I'm sorry Starsk'" said Hutch sincerely. "If I'd known."

"Yeah and if I'd been concentrating it wouldn't have happened either Hutch. Let's not beat ourselves up over it. My foot will heal, it'll take time but it will heal." He smiled.

Hutch parting remark as he left the bedroom was "You know it could'a'been worse……you could have landed on your head!"

With that Starsky found enough energy to throw a pillow at Hutch's departing body before slumping back down on the bed.


	3. Chapter 3

Attention

"Starsky you gotta try and stand upright. That cast comes off in two days and if you're not walking with crutches by then the doc'l have you in physio for weeks. You'll never get back on duty."

"I know it Hutch. You don't have to remind me, if I can't stand to attention in two days I'm done for, right?"

"Well I wouldn't quite put it like that"

But Hutch had a point and Starsky knew it. It wasn't that he didn't want to get better, heck he'd had enough of lying around for the past six weeks it's was that his foot just didn't want to respond. He had sat there night after night staring at his toes, willing them to move and nothing. Not a blimp or a flicker. Now he felt that Hutch thought he was faking it too and that was adding to his anxiety.

"Hutch I'll do it. I will." he confirmed.

Hutch patted him on the shoulder, "How'bout giving it one more go, just for me eh buddy?" he said gently.

Starsky sighed. If he hadn't had gone up that drain pipe after that stupid cat, _and who calls a cat Stella anyway?_ "What kind of stupid name is Stella for a cat?" He asked, looking up at Hutch.

"Huh?" Asked Hutch, absently. Shaking his head he said "Starsky sometimes I wonder if your head didn't take a knock after all."

Starsky inhaled and with all his will he stood up resting heavily on both crutches.

"Good, good." praised Hutch, "Now give one to me Starsk'" he said reaching out for one of them.

"I, ah, I, Hutch I'm not ready, not yet. Can't we do this tomorrow?" Starsky pleaded.

"Starsky." Hutch said sternly and then, seeing his partner's face, more softly added, "Look I know you're scared, but I'm here with you. I wont let you fall. Trust me." Hutch smiled and Starsky did begin to feel reassured. _What is it about that Hutchinson smile? _Starsky thought. So, taking another deep breath he handed one of the crutches to Hutch, whilst still keeping a tight grip on it.

"Okay buddy, that's good, good. Now you gotta let go of it" added Hutch, whilst trying to gently pry it from his partner's grip.

Starsky looked up at Hutch and for moment he looked like a small, frightened child. "Hutch….."

"Shhhhh it's okay, you can do this." Hutch urged. Taking another deep breath Starsky let go.

"Phew!" he exhaled, and as he did he wobbled. "Huuuutch!"

"Starsky it's okay, I'm here I wont let you fall. Okay now try the other one."

"The other one?" queried Starsky, still amazed that he had managed to give up one. It felt odd to be standing upright again, and his head was spinning.

"Hutch I don't feel so good. I think I'm gonna be sick."

Starsky did indeed look green but Hutch was determined that Starsky could overcome this.

"Starsky you're fine, come on. It just feels a little strange, that's all. You can do this. Now come on."

"Hutch I really do feel sick" Starsky repeated, more urgently.

"Starsky you're just scared. It's a big step, but you've done one, and you can do the other. Hey pretty soon you'll be jumping over the hood of your tomato again like nothing happened." Hutch smiled.

"Hutch I…." but Starsky didn't finish the sentence before he was sick all over Hutch. As soon as he did he slumped back down on the bed, with a really sorry look on his face.

"Starsky I..." Hutch didn't know what to say.

"Hutch I told you I was gonna be sick" Starsky whined.

Hutch shook his head as he left the room to make his way to the bathroom to clean up.

"I'm gonna have to borrow a pair of your sweatpants Starsk'!" he called, "And a shirt too." _God knows I'd never get into his jeans_ he thought to himself. _I doubt that guy wants babies one day. _"Hey Starsk'….How do you get into your jeans?" he asked as he walked back into the bedroom.

"My jeans?" queried Starsky.

"Never mind." smiled Hutch "Come on let's get you cleaned up. What you say we leave the standing to attention until tomorrow?"

And Starsky grinned the biggest grin that Hutch had seen in a long time.


	4. Chapter 4

On Parade

It had been two weeks since the cast was removed from Starsky's foot. He was still limping and not yet restored to full active duty. In all honesty the being stuck behind a desk was driving him mad and he blamed Hutch for all of it.

Relations were strained between the partners. Huggy Bear had tried to reconcile them, so had Captain Dobey. Even Minnie had said she would bash their heads together if they didn't make it up soon.

Hutch had tried. He had apologised until he was blue in the face. It was an accident after all, he hadn't meant for Starsky to get hurt but Starsky remained angry. He was acting like a spoiled, petulant child and there was no getting through to him. Always in a bad mood when he was assigned to desk duty, Hutch understood why Starsky was grouchy, but even his patience was wearing thin.

"Come on Starsky, here look take the coffee, I promise I haven't poisoned it." Hutch half joked.

Starsky just glared at him and mumbled, "You may as well have, you could have finished me off in one go instead of doing it bit by bit."

Hutch couldn't believe that Starsky genuinely thought that he had intended to hurt him. "Starsky you gotta be kiddin' me." he pleaded, "Think about it buddy, why would I want to finish you off? Damn it Starsk' I've been with you every step of the way whilst you recover."

"Every step of the way, every step of the way!" Starsky said getting louder as he repeated it, "Are you trying to upset me Hutch?!" he accused.

"Okay so it was a bad choice of words, but you know what I mean."

And he did. Deep down he knew Hutch hadn't wanted him to get to hurt. He trusted Hutch with his life and yet he was so frustrated and after six weeks of pain he was so tired of feeling this way. He wanted to be back on the beat, doing what he and Hutch did best, catching bad guys. Not sitting behind a desk finishing up paperwork.

"Starsk?" Hutch asked, "Please buddy, let's get past this eh" They both hated it when they weren't getting along. It zapped both of them of their energy; of their whole being. As Huggy often said "a Starsky without a Hutch is like a picnic with no sandwiches."

"Buddy?" Hutch pleaded, "Please."

Starsky looked at Hutch. The anger that had been there for the past few weeks was subsiding. He was tired of fighting. Things were bad enough without he and Hutch not getting along.

"I'll try Hutch. I hate this as much as you, but I can't stop feeling angry with you. I'm trying, really I am, but every time I see you leave the office and go out I get angry all over again. I should be going out with you Hutch. I should be there, covering your back, catching bad guys. Me and Thee Hutch or have you forgotten that?"

"Forgotten what, Me and Thee?" Hutch sighed and smiled softly, "Never Starsky, it'll always be Me and Thee, that hasn't changed. You had an accident a nasty, horrible…"

"painful" chipped in Starsky.

"……Painful accident" continued Hutch, "But that's what it was. You are healing. Two weeks ago you still had crutches, now you're on a stick and pretty soon you wont need anything. Hey we'll have you on parade sooner than you know it. The physio says you're doing great and….."

"What do you mean the physio says I'm doing great? You been checkin' up on me?" Starsky accused.

"Not checking up on you Starsky, just showing concern."

"Concern?"

"Yes concern dummy. You don't think I feel bad about what happened. If I could turn back time and climb up that drain pipe myself I would. Of course I would, but it's happened. I can't change it. I can feel sorry about it, but I can't change it"

"Hutch."

"Yeah buddy?"  
"It will get better wont it?" Starsky sounded frightened as he said it and Hutch smiled when he realised that Starsky's anger had arisen from fear. He ruffled Starsky hair "Of course it will get better. I keep telling you that. Dobey has told you, Huggy has told you, what more reassurance do you need?"

"I need it to get better." Starsky replied, simply.

"It will Starsk' I promise you it will." Hutch reassured.


	5. Chapter 5

Marching Orders

Starsky smiled. It was the first time in eight weeks that he had gotten out of bed without any pain at all. _Today is going to be a good day_ he surmised to himself. Cheerily he made his way to the kitchen, wrapping his gown around him as he did so. He had almost made it to the refrigerator when BAM!! He tripped over the dressing gown cord and landed heavily on his, recently healed, left foot. "Damn!" He screamed and tried to get up, but a searing pain shot through his foot. "Damn it!" he muttered and wondered what to do next. He gritted his teeth and managed to butt shuffle to the telephone where he called Hutch. "Come on buddy pick up, " He urged, as he heard the phone continue to ring. Presently it was answered by a very sleepy sounding Hutch, "Hello? Hutchinson." he answered formally.

"Hutch, I need help." Starsky informed him.

Immediately Hutch was wide awake, "What is it, where are you, what happened?"

"It's okay, nothing serious, I'm at home. I took a tumble and can't get up." Starsky explained.

"You can't get up? What do you mean you can't get up? Starsky what have you done?"

"I…ah…I think I might have damaged my foot again." He replied sheepishly and a little scared.

"Starsky my god. Hold on I'll be right over. Don't move, well you can't but, well you know what I mean. Just stay where you are and oh….."

"Hutch." Starsky interrupted

"What?"

"Just shut up and get over here."

"Sure, sure. I'll be there before you know it."

Starsky hung up the phone and on his butt shuffled over towards the sofa. He was thankful for all those sessions with the physio. Despite his previous injury he had managed to stay in pretty good shape so pulling himself onto the couch wasn't too difficult. Stuffing two cushions under his foot he decided there was nothing better to do than to sit and wait for Hutch.

In his apartment Hutch was having a hard time explaining to Jemena why she had to leave.

"Hutch, babe, he'll be okay. If he's anything like his partner Starsky's a big boy." She purred, with just a hint of sexual overtone.

Unwrapping himself from her embrace Hutch kissed her as he tried to pull on his pants. "Come on Jem', I wont be long. He's probably just strained it but Starsky's a baby when it comes to hurting himself. I wont be long. I'll pack his ankle in ice and I'll be home before you've even missed me." He smiled.

"But Hutch." She whined, "I'm already missing you." She began making circles with her tongue on his neck. Hutch closed his eyes and savoured the moment, then snapping out of it. "Look I gotta go. I'm sorry"

Jemena was instantly angry, "If you walk out that door Mr, it's marching orders for you. Don't expect me to be waiting when you get back!" She retorted.

Hutch liked her. She was a good lay and not bad company either but if he had to choose he'd choose Starsky every time. He looked at her apologetically "I'm sorry you feel that way Jem', I guess this is good bye then?" He reasoned.

"That's it? That's it? That's all you can say to me? Ken I thought we had something?" Her ego had obviously been bruised and Hutch saw it.

"I'm sorry babe, it was good whilst it lasted but it's over. Take all the time you need, you know where the shower is, just be gone when I get back." and with that he left.

Hutch used to the spare key to enter Starsky's apartment and he found a very sorry looking Starsky sitting propped on the couch. "Hey Starsk'." he smiled as he approached him, "What have you gone and done to yourself?"

Starsky looked foolish and didn't know where to begin. "Hutch I, I was only getting a drink." he said, by way of explanation.

"And?" asked Hutch

"And I tripped over this damned dressing gown cord. The dressing gown YOU bought for me incidentally."

"Starsky you're not going to lay this one on me too are you?" Hutch asked, remembering last time when Starsky had injured his foot. "You're supposed to do the thing up, not leave it dangling. I swear Starsky most of the time you are an accident just waiting to happen."

Starsky looked hurt and Hutch smiled. "I'll get some ice. It doesn't look too bad. I think you probably just sprained it but we'll get you to memorial just in case eh?"

Starsky nodded. "How'd it go last night?" He called to Hutch, who was in the kitchen getting the ice.

"Oh okay. Jemena came over, the night was good, unfortunately the timing of your injury was pretty lousy Starsk'"

"How so?" asked Starsky as Hutch walked back into the room.

"She gave me my marching orders."

"Marching orders? Hutch." Starsky looked pained at Hutch's choice of words, but instead of getting angry he giggled.

Hutch looked quizzed, and Starsky explained.

"Marching orders, get it?"

"Ohhhhhh" said Hutch, smiling as the penny finally dropped. "Come on buddy let's get you to Memorial and see what damage you've caused this time.

And with that the two buddies, with Hutch propping Starsky, made their way out to Hutch's car to make the journey to Memorial Hospital.


	6. Chapter 6

Front Line

Starsky was angry. He was tired, he was grumpy but mostly he was angry. "How much bad luck can one guy have?" He asked himself, out loud.

"Come on Starsk', it's really not that bad." Hutch assured him. "It's just a sprain, you'll be out a few days, tops, and then back on the front line with me."

"Yeah clearing the filth and the grime" injected Starsky. _Is that what I'm getting better for?_ He thought, and felt even angrier.

"Starsky if you don't stop scowling, your face is gonna stay that way." Hutch laughed.

"Hutch don't'ch'a ever wonder why we do what we do?"

"Of course I do Starsky. Every single time we scrape another teen, with a gun, off the sidewalk, I ask myself why we do it. And then I look into the face of that teen and I think of their mother and I reason; if we can just stop one family going through the pain that family is gonna go through, it'll be worth it."

Starsky nodded. Hutch was right. He knew he was right but was it enough anymore?

"Hey Starsk'"

Starsky remained silent. "Starsky?" continued Hutch

"Huh?"

"You okay?"

Starsky nodded, slowly. He sighed. "I'm okay Hutch, just beat. Things look kinda bleak right now. I hate this ya know." It was a statement not a question. Hutch nodded.

"Starsky we've had weeks of no word conversations, throughout the whole of your recovery, and now again tonight. I know something's up buddy. I wanna help you. I wanna help us, but I'm not sure what's happening."

"Hutch we're okay. It's not you. It's not me. It's the streets. When I was laid up with my foot in a cast I couldn't wait to get back out there, covering your back, working together the way we do. Now…." Starsky sighed, "Now I'm not so sure it's what I want anymore. I got hurt Hutch. I been hurt a hundred times, shot at, poisoned, imprisoned and burned and all I did this time was fall, and it's got me thinking. I don't wanna get hurt no more. I'm getting older. I want to settle down. This life we lead, it aint good buddy."

Hutch was taken back, "woaw Starsky that was some speech. We can have both. Dobey manages both.

"Can we? Think about it Hutch. It aint just us that gets hurt. Look at all the people who got hurt along the way."

"Starsky people get hurt. It's a fact of life. If we weren't on the streets a lot more people would get hurt. To Protect And To Serve Starsky, it's front line policing. It's what we do."

"It's what we do…" Pondered Starsky. "Yeah Hutch, it's what we do." He resigned.

"You okay now?" Asked Hutch, still concerned.

"I'm okay Hutch." Starsky replied, looking up at his friend, "Too much thinking time. That's all!" He grinned.

A few days, and several ice packs, later Starsky returned to duty with Hutch. Their first arrest was indeed a teenager who was trying to rob a liquor store. When Starsky looked into the frightened face of the youngster he knew that Hutch was right. Being on the front line, with Hutch was what he did, it was who he was, and that was fine by him.


End file.
